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Or you could also source rubber gaskets for mounting speaker grills...

i actually did request 2 spare gaskets with the tad1601b that i got. but i was warned off doing this by someone who used to work for a spkr mfr years ago. they said that the elastic modulus of the gasket it important. and if you use 3 instead of 1 (even if it is the 'official' gasket from the mfr) then you could affect things in the LF. This does seem a little over the top. but i also want to do this right!
the gasket on the altec drivers is so squishy compared with the TAD gasket... all these things must have an effect.

given that i will not be overdriving the speakers is there any way to determine from their specification exactly how far the speaker will travel forward at max displacement?

i recently got some 1603 baskets with the cones totally wrecked for £100 each on ebay, they were in the UK. I see there's 1 x 1603 on ebay and whilst it would come in at £200 from the US it does have a working (but non-original) cone. in the uk it seems there are very few of these (?) in fact you can't even buy them from pioneer

regrding the aluminium, i think that would be the best thing because it is rigid and will not change any of the resonnance of the speaker. i was worried that just using rubber gasket would create a springy effect and change the qualities of the speaker.

i can get a friend to laser cut (so lazy!) some 6mm plywood rings to use as a slightly cheaper alternative maybe? could also put a bit of 1mm neoprene to make them airtight where they meet the baffle. don't want to fix them permanently. there won't be much difference between using ply and using aluminium though will there?

by the way, when you say you want a 1603 basket - are you going to recone it yourself or do you know someone who is competent, if so, where's the recone kit from? just interested if you can get em in the uk - every tech i speak to has not heard (of) them!
i still need to get 2 x 1603 reconed. i know someone who used to work for gauss that could maybe do it... but if you know of anyone... wouldn't mind trying myself but this is a bit of an expensive start point.

Yeah I saw that one ,but will wait for a basket . I have one sitting at Guido's waiting. I'l get Guido to recone them too ... He can get the kits . I looked at the Kits in the US ,but by the time I have landed them at G's front door they work out more expensive . I don't bother using anyone else for recones . I have used him since I started this insane hobby and see no reason to change - he's a perfectionist !
The plywood/ Laser treatment sounds good . I would use very good quality marine or birch ply though .
Where on this little island are you ?

Yeah I saw that one ,but will wait for a basket . I have one sitting at Guido's waiting. I'l get Guido to recone them too ... He can get the kits . I looked at the Kits in the US ,but by the time I have landed them at G's front door they work out more expensive . I don't bother using anyone else for recones . I have used him since I started this insane hobby and see no reason to change - he's a perfectionist !
The plywood/ Laser treatment sounds good . I would use very good quality marine or birch ply though .
Where on this little island are you ?

Rich

I'm up in Leeds... where abouts in London are you?
Yeah I use birch ply in all my speaker builds, not marine though - that's crazy expensive now...
It might be nice to have a contact for this re-coner you use - the guy up here I go to is often away fixing tape machines and desks around the world, and even when he is here it's real hard to pin him down sometime. I come to London to see tech guys for some of my gear so it might be a possibility when i recone get round to using my 1603s. I have four 1601's ready to go and i kinda like the 421's for now in my monitors so it's not pressing.
What cabs will you be using the 1603's in? will they be mounted in front of the baffle?!
I think you advised me to go 4-way (not including sub) in my setup in a previous post. Unfortunately this is not an option as there is limited space and we need room for dancing!

Do you have any opinions on how thick this new gasket/ring should be - i'm looking at 7mm at the moment.

I know Leeds very well . I lived in Kirkstall ,by the Abby -spent 8 years up there playing semi-pro cricket ,doing a degree and working .
Now I live in Dulwich SE London .

My cabinet ..... ? no idea yet . Something bespoke anyway . I will be using the Radian / Truextent combo and the 1603 . Its a long term project.
Guido will design the networks for it . I'll stick to a 2-way . Unless I want to spend serious amounts of dosh I don't think I can improve on the basic 2-way . Besides, I have done the big 4-way thing ,but alas,I don't have the room any more .

Back on topic !

I guess your stuck with the original aperture ,which is 15" ? now you need to clear the surround for rear mounting as the TAD is 16" ? I would stick to the ply idea . I can't see any problem as long as you keep to the 7 mm minimum ! If the cone travels more than that ..... you have just blown the Woof .. LOL
Pics really help to visualise mate !

I know Leeds very well . I lived in Kirkstall ,by the Abby -spent 8 years up there playing semi-pro cricket ,doing a degree and working .
Now I live in Dulwich SE London .

My cabinet ..... ? no idea yet . Something bespoke anyway . I will be using the Radian / Truextent combo and the 1603 . Its a long term project.
Guido will design the networks for it . I'll stick to a 2-way . Unless I want to spend serious amounts of dosh I don't think I can improve on the basic 2-way . Besides, I have done the big 4-way thing ,but alas,I don't have the room any more .

Back on topic !

I guess your stuck with the original aperture ,which is 15" ? now you need to clear the surround for rear mounting as the TAD is 16" ? I would stick to the ply idea . I can't see any problem as long as you keep to the 7 mm minimum ! If the cone travels more than that ..... you have just blown the Woof .. LOL
Pics really help to visualise mate !

Look at the A7 - the speaker is hidden partially behind the baffle.
The Xmax of the TADs is 8mm
The Xmax for the Altec is 0.12 inches or 3mm

So i feel I may be 1mm short - and i really REALLY don't want to damage these TAD drivers as they cost an arm and a leg.
So i could use 6mm ply with 1mm neoprene on each side = 8mm
or use 9mm ply with 1mm neoprene on the side meeting the baffle = 10mm